Judah & the Lion
What to say about Nashville alt-rockers Judah & the Lion, which started around a half dozen years ago as just another divinely inspired but musically unskilled Christian rock band? Taking cues from the success of rootsy throwbacks such as Mumford and Sons and the Lumineers, they’ve evolved since the release of their debut EP Sweet Tennessee into a more worldly and accomplished six-piece whose sophomore full-length, Folk Hop N’ Roll, spawned their first gen-you-wine hit single, “Take It All Back,” a gold record that topped the U.S. Alternative chart and reached number ten on the U.S. Rock chart.
Their follow-up single from earlier this year, “Suit and Jacket,” did nearly as well on both charts, coming in at number four and thirty-five, respectively. The album itself peaked at number two on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, helped aloft by touring last spring with Twenty One Pilots. Their first full headlining tour brings them to House of Blues on February 9, where they’ll be plugging the recent deluxe edition of Folk Hop N’ Roll, featuring four new songs and an alternative string arrangement of what has so far been their signature track, “Take It All Back.”